Mutiny in the harbor

Deepa Bharath

NEWPORT BEACH -- It was not your typical joy ride.

A 38-year-old Long Beach man wreaked a quick bit of havoc in Newport

Harbor on Tuesday evening when he allegedly stole a 60-foot powerboat and

damaged it by slamming against the docks and the sea wall, authorities

said.

Police arrested John J. Mackeravage at about 6 p.m. on suspicion of

grand theft of a vehicle or a vessel, said Newport Beach Police Sgt.

Steve Shulman.

Mackeravage’s rampage lasted only a few minutes, but during that time

he managed to cause “moderate stern damage” to the boat, Twin Dolphin,

which was docked in the harbor, said Sgt. Gary Smith of the Orange County

Sheriff’s Harbor Patrol.

Smith said Mackeravage stole the boat and drove it into the sea wall

and then into a sailboat docked near the Elk’s Lodge.

Mackeravage then shifted into reverse and hit the docks before he was

held back by a person who saw what was happening, Smith said.

“It could have been pretty dangerous,” he said. But, Smith added, no

one, including Mackeravage, was hurt in the incident.

Alcohol was involved in the incident, Shulman said. He said

Mackeravage is being held at Orange County Jail with bail set at $10,000.